Workers clear debris from busy runway

ATLANTA (AP) - Nearly 100 workers at the world's busiest airport are volunteering their time to pick up trash that could be dangerous when planes land and take off.

On Wednesday, the fifth runway at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was closed for about 30 minutes so employees could look for debris. According to the airport website, the fifth runway opened in 2006 and averages more than 100,000 landings and takeoffs per year.

Among the junk collected: pebbles, washers, ball bearings and small bolts. Damage from such debris is estimated to cost the aerospace industry $4 billion a year. Hartsfield-Jackson performs daily inspections on all its runways.

The airport serves more than 94 million passengers annually with nonstop service to more than 150 U.S. destinations and nearly 70 international destinations in more than 45 countries.

Kcaron, that's not necessarily what they are referring to. It's called FOD, and it can come from anywhere, like getting debris getting caught in the groove of tires. A FOD check is done on all vehicle tires before they enter the flightline in the Air Force. Sure, some stuff could fall off an aircraft but it mostly it is carried in by tires, or the wind or jet blast, etc

with all the money the airlines and airport authorizes are making today,why do they not pay workers to do this,and instead help or volunteer to clean a senior citizen or disabled persons home or apartment??!!!

If pieces like bolts, washers, and ball bearings can fall off cars, trucks, and other pieces of machinery, why can't they fall off airplanes?

Think about it. First, a plane lands at well over 140 mph. While some pilots can set the plane down gently, sometimes a landing is hard, either because of gusting winds or a Navy pilot at the controls. That can shake something loose, just like a big pothole can cause damage (I cracked a tie rod once).

Upon landing, the engines spool up while the reverser buckets are closed, and the spoilers are deployed.

Then, at some point the spoilers are lowered, the engines are throttled back, the reverser buckets are opened, and the flaps and slats are retracted. With that much mechanical action, something is bound to come loose.

so they volunteer so the executives can make larger bonuses. And the large corporations sponsor PGA golf tournaments so the CEO's cn go on TV and brag about how the tournaments are all for charity and how their employees do so much volunteer work. At the same time their employees will have to pay more for health care, while the executives get larger bonuses and salaries and the older workers are layed off.

the employees today are told to volunteer to do charity work as I am sure these workers were told to volunteer else their jobs would be in jeopardy. Their bosses tell them it is a matter of corporate policy that all employees must volunteer. The fast food industry has been doing it for years by requiring that hourly worker perform work off the clock.

The runways at ORD and MDW aren't covered in shell casings. For one thing, the shootings don't take place near ORD, which is surrounded by hotels, offices, and upper-middle class suburbs, and the area around MDW is represented in Springfield by House Speaker Mike Madigan. Needless to say, crime in that area is low.

I'm sure that all airports have people walk the runways every now and then, because it's a necessity. A friend of mine lives in an airport community. Every so often, the residents walk the runway and taxiways looking for debris.